So I walked into Hobby Lobby the other day...

[MichaelRapp]

Hi all,

So, it happened.

Friday, I was in Hobby Lobby picking up some Christmas decorations. I just happened to walk down the model rocket aisle by complete accident.....I saw the Estes rockets, and....just...stopped. I haven't been in a Hobby Lobby in three years. I haven't been active in rocketry in three years.

It was as if something reached out and grabbed me. I suddenly remembered that at one time I really enjoyed this hobby. On impulse (pun intended), I reached out and grabbed two kits: a Baby Bertha and a Crossfire.

I fell out of rocketry back in December of 2014, after only being really into it for a few months. In a moment of stupidity, I had cut myself severely with an X-Acto knife. (Details here: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?121282-Wow-I-sure-did-cut-myself). While that did heal after about a month, afterwards I found myself very hesitant and unsteady with a hobby knife (understandably, so, I think). So I drifted away....weeks became months...and became years....and I packed up my rockets and building supplies, assuming that this hobby just wasn't for me.

It's curious that even though I've done two major house cleanings since 2014, I never could make myself throw away the rocketry stuff.

So I'm going to try this again. While I am not all that mechanically dexterous, I do remember how fulfilling it was to construct a rocket and I really enjoyed learning various techniques and figuring out what my personal technique workflow would be.

I'm delighted to see this forum is still here, The Rocketry Show podcast is still going strong, and RocketN00b is still writing his prolific blog.

I also noticed that NARCON 2018 is at a hotel next to the Johnson Space Center in February -- which is eight miles from my house! How cool is that?!

I also plan to rejoin my local club down here, which, I actually never got to attend one of their launches as the winter of 2014/2015 was very wet.

While I didn't get to build a rocket this weekend, I spent the time cleaning out part of my home office to construct one. I also (re)watched many of Tim Van Milligan's videos. I hope I can meet him, even just for a moment, at NARCON. Those videos are what helped me do my first (and second, and so on) rockets back in 2014.

It is awesome to be back!

--Michael in Houston

 

[qquake2k]

This hobby can reach out and grab you! When I became a BAR in 2009, I wasn't planning on doing half of what I've accomplished since then. Welcome back!

 

[dhbarr]

Welcome back!

 

[James Duffy]

I also (re)watched many of Tim Van Milligan's videos. I hope I can meet him, even just for a moment, at NARCON.

Tim will be at NARCON, both as a presenter and a vendor! See you there!

James
(NARCON co-Sherpa)

 

[Kallahan11]

I'll just post this here https://www.blameitonthevoices.com/2010/12/how-to-build-your-own-huey-hog.html

 

[crossfire]

Hi all,

So, it happened.

Friday, I was in Hobby Lobby picking up some Christmas decorations. I just happened to walk down the model rocket aisle by complete accident.....I saw the Estes rockets, and....just...stopped. I haven't been in a Hobby Lobby in three years. I haven't been active in rocketry in three years.

It was as if something reached out and grabbed me. I suddenly remembered that at one time I really enjoyed this hobby. On impulse (pun intended), I reached out and grabbed two kits: a Baby Bertha and a Crossfire.

I fell out of rocketry back in December of 2014, after only being really into it for a few months. In a moment of stupidity, I had cut myself severely with an X-Acto knife. (Details here: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?121282-Wow-I-sure-did-cut-myself). While that did heal after about a month, afterwards I found myself very hesitant and unsteady with a hobby knife (understandably, so, I think). So I drifted away....weeks became months...and became years....and I packed up my rockets and building supplies, assuming that this hobby just wasn't for me.

It's curious that even though I've done two major house cleanings since 2014, I never could make myself throw away the rocketry stuff.

So I'm going to try this again. While I am not all that mechanically dexterous, I do remember how fulfilling it was to construct a rocket and I really enjoyed learning various techniques and figuring out what my personal technique workflow would be.

I'm delighted to see this forum is still here, The Rocketry Show podcast is still going strong, and RocketN00b is still writing his prolific blog.

I also noticed that NARCON 2018 is at a hotel next to the Johnson Space Center in February -- which is eight miles from my house! How cool is that?!

I also plan to rejoin my local club down here, which, I actually never got to attend one of their launches as the winter of 2014/2015 was very wet.

While I didn't get to build a rocket this weekend, I spent the time cleaning out part of my home office to construct one. I also (re)watched many of Tim Van Milligan's videos. I hope I can meet him, even just for a moment, at NARCON. Those videos are what helped me do my first (and second, and so on) rockets back in 2014.

It is awesome to be back!

--Michael in Houston

Michael its all suppose to happen the stars are all lined up for you return to rocketry

 

[modeltrains]

Always room for another prodigal rocketeer.

 

[MaxQ]

You can't quit...you've bled for the hobby.

I was working on a project one night (think it was an RC airplane) I laid an X-acto pen knife on my work table, which had a slight tilt.

As I was holding the wing with both hands while the CA set, I saw the pen knife start to roll down the work surface.:y:

I moved my legs quickly but it still rolled off the edge and went knife point down into my thigh and bounced off.
It was one of those devilishly sharp as hell Testors black blades...when I saw the neat little cut in my jeans I knew I was in for trouble.
I couldn't seal the 1/4 wide wound.
Wife drove me to the ER while I compressed.
When I told the ER doc what happened, he laughed.
He built RC planes and had a few incidents himself.
He closed the wound with a medical CA ...didn't use a spray kicker though.

 

[neil_w]

Welcome back sir. I guarantee if you get yourself to one of those club launches it'll cement your interest but good.

Also, if you haven't been reading Chris Michielssen's blog (TRF handle "hcmbanjo") I'd encourage you to do so. Tons of great how-to is jammed into every entry there.

 

[Zeus-cat]

Tim was at NARCON 2016 in Dayton, OH. Our club hosted the event and Randy from eRockets was the emcee after Gleda Estes had to back out. I can't say I actually met Tim as we were pretty busy and Tim didn't go out of his way to interact with anyone that I ever saw. I asked Randy about him and he just said that Tim is like that, very quiet and not very outgoing. Not a criticism or anything, just don't expect Tim to talk your ear off. On the other hand, Randy is about as outgoing as you would ever want someone to be. He'll talk your ear off and then talk your other ear off. Pretty much opposite ends of the spectrum.

 

[K'Tesh]

Welcome back!

I too have a habit of putting a little of myself into my builds (often blood, sweat, and on occasion a few tears). With all the pre slotted tubes and laser cut fins out there, the need for Xacto knives has diminished quite a bit. However, if you're into cloning really old designs, you're still kinda screwed (until someone scans all those old designs into laser cutting files for us).

 

[Zeus-cat]

The title of this thread sounds like the start of a bad joke. You know, like the ones that start with, "A priest, a rabbi and a minister walk into a bar.." Maybe this one could be, "A rocketeer, a train guy and a scale modeler walk into Hobby Lobby..."

 

[T-Rex]

Are you familiar with the NASA Houston Rocket Club? https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/NHRC-General/conversations/messages
Great bunch of folks!

 

[Gary Byrum]

In a moment of stupidity, I had cut myself severely with an X-Acto knife. (Details here: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?121282-Wow-I-sure-did-cut-myself). While that did heal after about a month, afterwards I found myself very hesitant and unsteady with a hobby knife (understandably, so, I think). So I drifted away....weeks became months...and became years....and I packed up my rockets and building supplies, assuming that this hobby just wasn't for me. Michael in Houston

Those round Xacto knives ar dangerous. Rolling knives is just a bad idea. They also like to glide their way over the wall of your straight edge. (when cutting fins or whatever) I gave those up for a streamlined break-away knife. Pictured below. You get plenty of miles out of those blades and if you're good at this, you can sharpen them too. They don't roll and they're way safer than those dreaded Xacto jobs. They're not very expensive and you should give em a try. I will warn against the extreamly cheaper ones though. Exacto rolled off my bench one time and stabbed me in my upper leg. Pretty close to Mr Happy, and that over the straight edge thing I mentioned, caused a heap load of cuts. Some fairly severe.

Welcome back to the hobby btw. Get you a new knife and maybe you can avoid a premature bail out on the hobby again.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

Here's a little secret. The bigger HPR kits are usually sand and epoxy simple if you're tired of the small stuff and exactos. Try an H or I motor. Real big sturdy 1/16" fiberglass or thicker fins. CNC cut slots. Look into Madcow ,Apogee, or Wildman if you ever want to L-1. It's like a bigger Estes kit. Welcome back.

 

[Bat-mite]

I would suggest wearing a leather glove on the "holding" hand when using a razor or hobby knife. Maybe put a baking pan across the thighs?

Welcome back to the hobby. There is nothing like it.

 

[neil_w]

I'll second Gary's suggestion on the snap-off blades. This Olfa is my workhorse for fine work, and I have a bigger one for heavier-duty stuff. I have done good work with them. They don't roll and are always sharp and new blades cost like nothing. You can still injure yourself with them (heck, they are knives) but they avoid the biggest hazard of round-handled Xactos.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

I would suggest wearing a leather glove on the "holding" hand when using a razor or hobby knife. Maybe put a baking pan across the thighs?

Welcome back to the hobby. There is nothing like it.

TiG welding gloves are nice for dexterity. They are leather and kinda pricey but more protection than a standard aviator glove. MiG gloves feel immobile by comparison.

 

[Gary Byrum]

I'll second Gary's suggestion on the snap-off blades. This Olfa is my workhorse for fine work,

Thanks buddy. That link took me to Amazon and I stuck a new one in my cart. My other one is the cheaper craft knife which had served me well but here lately, my fingers have started to cramp periodically and I figure a better knife won't hurt.

 

[MichaelRapp]

Thanks for the welcome back, yall!

Dug out some of my old rockets that were in various stages of construction. Turns out I already have a Baby Bertha already primed and just needing paint! I also have this one that I apparently was trying to scratch build....but I have no idea where I was going with it.

With the rockets were various other construction supplies (glues, knives, brushes, dowels ,etc). My Titebond II has turned a weird light orange shade, so I trashed that. However, to my astonishment, my CWF that I thought would be rock solid after three years seems just fine. Maybe it is the humidity around here.

My CA bottles, including that thin CA in the blue bottle, were all hard as a rock. Unfortunately, I learned that the nearby hobby store where I got them has closed. Found some at eRockets (on sale, too). I'll probably pick up a few other rockets to construct and get my skills back up.

I do know that I'll want to move on to a bit larger rocket soon. I remember that, while I was enjoying the smaller rockets....I wanted something larger that wouldn't leap off the pad so insanely fast and that I could better see at apogee.

But for now I just want to be sure I remember how to attach an engine hook.

--Michael in Houston

 

[Rex R]

you might want to have a look at the Estes 'Big Daddy' and or 'Big Bertha' as rockets that don't teleport off the pad .
Rex

 

[cavecentral]

Welcome back.

I picked up a glove at Walmart for filleting fish. Seemed to work well for if I need to cut something tough and want to protect my hand. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-Fillet-Glove/55503825

For cutting tubes, I tend to keep the blade still against the table and rotate the tube instead of moving the blade. Much less dangerous that way.